WASHINGTON - No. 19 The Catholic University of America baseball team opened Landmark Conference play with a two wins against Moravian College in a double header on Saturday afternoon. The Cardinals took game one 3-2 and game two with an outstanding 12-3 victory. 

Catholic scored 15 runs on 25 hits with multi hit days from seven hitters including three hit days from sophomore Connor Sullivan, junior Ryan Tracy, and senior Danny O'Hagan. 

Catholic junior Jon Mierzwa threw five innings of game one for the Cardinals and tossed a season-high nine strikeouts for the win. Fellow junior Collin Brown recorded the save with three Ks the final two innings. Their classmate Mason Belcher earned the win in game two and registered four strikeouts in 6.1 innings.

All-Region first baseman senior Brennan Cotter got things started for the Cardinals in the opening inning as he drove in O'Hagan.

The Greyhounds matched the Cardinals' run to tie the game in the bottom of the second inning. O'Hagan registered Catholic's second RBI when a single that brought home Tracy in the fifth. Sophomore Connor Cozad supplied the Cardinals' final run of game one during the sixth inning, off an RBI-double from freshman Michael Doody.

The Greyhounds notched another run in the six to get within one run of the Cardinals (3-2) and placed the tying run on third with two outs in the bottom of the seventh. Moravian sent the runner on single but centerfielder, junior Bailey Lewis, fired the ball to O'Hagan at the plate for the game ending out.

In the second game, Moravian took a 3-0 lead in the second inning  before Catholic rallied with a five-run fourth inning.

Senior Jake Crist put the Cardinals on the board with a 2-RBI double that brought in O'Hagan and fellow senior Jack Hennessy. Up next, Lewis drove in Crist and later came home on a single from Doody. Junior Anthony Ferlise recorded Catholic's fifth run of the inning on a double from Tracy.

Both Tracy and Lewis would later homer, helping the Cardinals to the victory. Lewis led off the eighth inning with a solo homerun and Tracy crushed a grandslam in the fifth inning.

The Cardinals and Greyhounds will capp of the three-game series on Sunday, March 18. First pitching is slated for noon. 

Cardinal fans are encouraged to follow all Catholic Athletics and sign up for "email-alerts" that sends the latest news directly to your phone, tablet or device. You can also get the latest info, live stats and video by downloading the Cardinals Front Row Mobile App! Also, be sure to follow the Cardinals on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook!